Police Officers Pull Over Drivers In Need, Hand Out $100,000 From 'Secret Santa'
In the video it was the County Sheriff that was stopping people to hand out money. In Washington only the Washington State Patrol using marked cars during daylight hours may legally detain a person without reasonable suspicion that a traffic infraction or crime was committed in their presence, probable cause to believe that a more serious crime has been committed, or upon the request of another law enforcement officer who personally witnessed a traffic infraction. RCW 46.64.070 governs the WA State Patrol stopping vehicles for license and equipment checks.
In 1:07 to 1:16 of the video it was reported that the reason for the stops were because officers thought the person would appreciate the money most using cues such as dented vehicles and bondo. I can't find anything in state law that says a dent or bondo is reasonable suspicion of an infraction being committed.
In Washington at least (and probably most states) it is an illegal act for the Sheriff's department to randomly stop vehicles absent reasonable suspicion that an infraction was committed in the officer's presence, even if the reason for the stop is to hand out charity.
That's the law. If I were the Sheriff and my department wanted to hand out charity, I would at least find a legal way to do it. The deputies were doing a very nice thing...but that doesn't make it legal.
Also badge polishers love to claim how dangerous traffic stops are for officers to make "the most dangerous thing an officer does is a traffic stop".....just sayin', not agreein'
In the video it was the County Sheriff that was stopping people to hand out money. In Washington only the Washington State Patrol using marked cars during daylight hours may legally detain a person without reasonable suspicion that a traffic infraction or crime was committed in their presence, probable cause to believe that a more serious crime has been committed, or upon the request of another law enforcement officer who personally witnessed a traffic infraction. RCW 46.64.070 governs the WA State Patrol stopping vehicles for license and equipment checks.
In 1:07 to 1:16 of the video it was reported that the reason for the stops were because officers thought the person would appreciate the money most using cues such as dented vehicles and bondo. I can't find anything in state law that says a dent or bondo is reasonable suspicion of an infraction being committed.
In Washington at least (and probably most states) it is an illegal act for the Sheriff's department to randomly stop vehicles absent reasonable suspicion that an infraction was committed in the officer's presence, even if the reason for the stop is to hand out charity.
That's the law. If I were the Sheriff and my department wanted to hand out charity, I would at least find a legal way to do it. The deputies were doing a very nice thing...but that doesn't make it legal.
Also badge polishers love to claim how dangerous traffic stops are for officers to make "the most dangerous thing an officer does is a traffic stop".....just sayin', not agreein'
